Nina T. Dow

Overview

Nina Dow is an attorney in the firm’s Estate, Financial & Tax Planning practice area. Extremely passionate about her work, she strives to empower clients by helping them understand the law. Nina is a practical minded problem solver with a preference for simplicity whenever feasible. She focuses her practice on planning to minimize transfer taxes, including estate and tax planning that involves charitable giving, business succession planning, the representation of corporate and individual fiduciaries, and planning for individuals with special needs.

In addition to helping clients create an estate plan, Nina’s tax practice involves working closely with families to prepare state and federal estate tax returns following the death of a loved one. Her creative and strategic approach to estate taxation brings the best results possible for estate and trust beneficiaries. Nina also thrives on handling the complexity of estate administration in a timely fashion. Sensitive to the experience related to the loss of a family member, she settles the deceased’s affairs in a way that prevents added stress for clients.

Besides work

Nina enjoys spending time with family and friends, always trying out the newest restaurants and traveling overseas. She can also be found on the beach, tennis court or running with her sister on any rail trail in Massachusetts. Nina is a fluent Arabic speaker, specifically the Lebanese dialect.

Affiliations

Co-Founder, Board Member, and Mentorship Committee, Arab American Bar Association of Massachusetts (AABAM)
Co-Chair of the Tax, Trusts and Estates Section, Worcester County Bar Association
Member, Alumnae Committee and Marketing and Development Committee, Notre Dame Academy
Member, American Lebanese Chamber of Commerce of New England
Member, Tax Law Section, Massachusetts Bar Association
Committee Member, Estate and Business Planning Council of Worcester County
Member, Professional Advisory Committee, Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts
Member, Worcester Economic Club
Member, Trusts & Estates Consortium
Member, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
Member, Women’s Bar Association

Leadership Worcester, Class of 2021
Board Member, Colony Retirement Homes
Trustee, Worcester Public Library Foundation

Honors

Emerging Women Leaders in the Law Honoree, Women’s Bar Association, 2024
Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2019-2022

Articles + Talks

Articles

“The Hide and Seek of Creditors & Debtors: Examining the Effectiveness of Domestic Asset Protection Trusts for the Massachusetts Settlor,” 27:2 QUINNIPIAC PROB. L. J. 169 (2014)

Talks

Legacy Conversations – Planning for Impact, Abby’s House, 2024
Bouncing Back: Overcoming Setbacks and Building Resilience, Boston Bar Association Senior Associates Forum Network, New Lawyers Forum Network and Women of Color Attorneys’ Leadership Forum, 2024
Peace of Mind: The Best Gift of 2024, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2024
Massachusetts Estate Tax Law, Worcester Estate Planning Business Council, 2024
Presented to executives of publicly-traded retailer on irrevocable trusts, selling a business or transferring a business to a child, and transferring wealth to future generations. 2023.
Script Your Family’s Future: Why You Need an Estate Plan, Edward Jones, 2023

Bar Admissions

Massachusetts
New Hampshire

Education

LL.M., Master of Laws in Taxation, Boston University School of Law
J.D., cum laude, Suffolk University Law School
B.S., Emerson College

Experience

Drafts estate plans intended to eliminate or minimize Massachusetts and federal estate taxes
Optimizes clients’ estate tax exemption with value freezing techniques such as qualified personal residence trusts while transferring assets to the next generation
Helps clients create educational and gifting trusts for minors with no gift tax implications
Protects clients’ assets from creditors, including Medicaid, through the use of irrevocable trusts and other transfer techniques
Protects inheritance and other windfalls for clients with special needs while maintaining eligibility to receive public benefits
Assists clients with modifying irrevocable trusts created by previous generations without court approval by using nonjudicial settlement agreements
Appoints clients as Personal Representatives of estates and counsels them to settle the affairs of decedents in a timely manner

Insights + News